Prospects of new deal for Pittsburgh Steelers WR Mike Wallace higher as talks start – NFL News
The Pittsburgh Steelers and veteran wide receiver Mike Wallace may well be closer to agreeing fresh terms of an extension to the player’s deal.
A section of media has reported establishment of contacts between the player’s agent and Steelers’ managers and it is expected that the months-long stalemate phase with regard to the new deal demand of the WR is over now. He should expect a new contract
any time in the future, as predicted by a number of commentators.
At present, Mike is on a $2.72 million restricted free agent franchise tender, which he has so far refused to sign in protest of his long-term and hefty deal request to the team.
The Steelers, who in the wake of players salary cap issue have parted ways with a number of veterans such as wide receiver Hines Ward, did not respond to Mike’s demand earlier.
Amid the uncertainty, the deal matter had then looked very difficult if not impossible to resolve before training camp of the team, which is due to open later this month.
Now with the surprising disclosure that both stakeholders are in close contact and making steady progress on the matter, the optimism around the new deal for the WR has gained firm grounds.
Yet since the talks seem to be in the initial phase, it is difficult to gauge progress on the financial terms, which remains to be the main concern for the player. A number of reports had earlier claimed that the WR is demanding a deal worth somewhere around
$100 million.
It is a big question now whether the Steelers will consider committing him such an expensive deal. This question is even more difficult to answer for the team given they are already facing the compelling salary cap issue over the past two seasons.
Nevertheless, almost all commentators agree that the start of the negotiations is the right step forward to finding an amicable solution to the player’s deal matter. It is also a question now if the stakeholders will be able to agree to fresh terms and sign
the prospective contract any time before the training camp with almost a week left to its start.
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